Record
Carved stone ball
from St. Thomas's Kirk, Hall of Rendall, Orkney
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This carved stone ball was recorded as being found at the site of a broch at St. Thomas's Kirk at the Hall of Rendall in Orkney. It dates from between 3200 and 2500 BC. Many functions have been suggested for these objects. Whatever their function, they were prestigious possessions, symbols of power.
The oval ball has been carved with 67 pyramidal projections. Most carved stone balls are round, carved with between three and 160 knobs which are usually rounded. This ball is part of a small, atypical group which is oval in shape, found from Orkney and Aberdeenshire.
Carved stone balls are distinctly Scottish objects, with over 425 known, all but a handful found in Scotland. The majority have been found between the Moray Firth and the River Tay, especially in Aberdeenshire.
Record details
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- Online ID: 000-180-001-393-C
- Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
- Project:
National Museums Scotland Part 2
Project description View all records in project - Ref: National Museums Scotland X.AS 180
- Date: Between 3200 and 2500 BC
- Material: Stone; oval; sixty seven pyramidal projections
Ball - Dimensions: 3.56" L x 2.25" D
- What: Ball
- Subject:
- Who:
- Where: Scotland, Orkney, Hall of Rendall, St Thomas's Kirk
- Event:
- Description: Carved stone ball from St Thomas's Kirk, Hall of Rendall
- References:
- Calder, Jenni. The wealth of a nation. Edinburgh: National Museums of Scotland and Glasgow: Richard Drew Publishing, 1989, 18-9.
- Marshall, D.N. Carved stone balls. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 108 (1976-7), pp 40-72.
- Ritchie, Graham and Ritchie, Anna. Scotland. Archaeology and early history. London: Thames and Hudson, 1981, p 46.
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